Optical pickup apparatus

ABSTRACT

An optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus records and/or reproduces information on an information record surface of an optical disk loaded thereto. The optical pickup apparatus for the optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus is provided with: two types of optical pickups for at least two types of optical disks respectively; first and second guiding rails arranged substantially parallel to each other such that the information record surface of the loaded optical disk is disposed between the first and second guiding rails, for respectively guiding the optical pickups along the information record surface of the loaded optical disk in a radial direction of the loaded optical disk; first and second retracting rails respectively connected to the first and second guiding rails, for retracting thereonto the optical pickups from the first and second guiding rails through linkages with the first and second guiding rails respectively; a rotator frame for holding the first and second retracting rails; and a rotating mechanism for rotating the rotator frame around an axis parallel to the first and second retracting rails and for swapping the first and second retracting rails to each other.

This is a divisional of application(s) application Ser. No. 08/747,666filed on Nov. 12, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,347.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related with an optical pickup apparatus usedfor an optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus, which canreproduce different types of optical disks by selectively moving twotypes of optical pickups on one or two moving paths.

2. Description of the Related Art

As can be seen in Japanese Utility Model Application Laying Open (KOKAI)No. Hei-1-78323, there is a compatible player which can selectivelyreproduce two types of record media. This compatible player is intendedto selectively reproduce an optical disk and a needle type disk. Theoptical pickup and the needle type pickup corresponding respectively tothese two types of disks are fixed and held at free edges of U-shapedbrackets, respectively. In a case of reproducing the optical disk, theoptical disk is scanned by removing the U-shaped bracket from a turntable, rotating it by 180 degrees around a horizontal axis and movingthe optical pickup upward so as to scan the optical disk. In a case ofreproducing the needle type disk, the needle type disk is scanned byagain removing the U-shaped bracket from the turn table, rotating it by180 degrees around the horizontal axis and moving the needle type pickupupward so as to scan the needle type disk.

Further, as can be seen in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open(KOKAI) No. Hei 2 66731, there is a disk reproducing apparatus which canreproduce both surfaces of a disk by moving a single optical pickup ontwo moving paths.

However, the reproducing apparatus in accordance with the JapaneseUtility Model Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. Hei-1-783233 isintended to reproduce a CD and a record, and the reproducing apparatusin accordance with the Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI)No. Hei-2-66731 is intended to reproduce one type of a disk. Thus, theycannot reproduce different types os optical disks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an opticalpickup apparatus used for an optical disk recording and/or reproducingapparatus, which can reproduce different types of optical disks.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a firstoptical pickup apparatus for an optical disk recording and/orreproducing apparatus, which records and/or reproduces information on aninformation record surface of an optical disk loaded thereto. The firstoptical pickup apparatus is provided with: two types of optical pickupsfor at least two types of optical disks respectively; first and secondguiding rails arranged substantially parallel to each other such thatthe information record surface of the loaded optical disk is disposedbetween the first and second guiding rails, for respectively guiding theoptical pickups along the information record surface of the loadedoptical disk in a radial direction of the loaded optical disk; first andsecond retracting rails respectively connected to the first and secondguiding rails, for retracting thereonto the optical pickups from thefirst and second guiding rails through linkages with the first andsecond guiding rails respectively; a rotator frame for holding the firstand second retracting rails; and a rotating mechanism for rotating therotator frame around an axis parallel to the first and second retractingrails and for swapping the first and second retracting rails to eachother.

According to the first optical pickup apparatus, the optical pickups arerespectively guided by the first and second guiding rails along theinformation record surface of the loaded optical disk in a radialdirection of the loaded optical disk. The optical pickups are retractedonto the first and second retracting rails from the first and secondguiding rails through the linkages respectively. The rotator frameholding the first and second retracting rails is rotated by the rotatingmechanism around an axis parallel to the first and second retractingrails, and the first and second retracting rails are swapped to eachother by the rotating mechanism. After that, by moving back the opticalpickups from the swapped retracting rails through the linkages onto theguiding rails, one of the two types of optical pickups, whichcorresponds to the type of the loaded optical disk, can be guided bydesirable one of the first and second guiding rails, so that differenttypes of optical disks can be recorded and or reproduced by use of thiscorresponding one of the optical pickups in the first optical pickupapparatus.

In one aspect of the first optical pickup apparatus, both of the opticalpickups are commonly guided by at least one of the first and secondguiding rails.

According to this aspect, a centering adjustment for said at least oneof the first and second guiding rails can be completed by a centeringadjustment with respect to just one of the two optical pickups. Forexample, once the centering adjustment of the guiding rail for theoptical pickup of three beam type is completed, it is not necessary anymore to perform the centering adjustment of the guiding rail for theoptical pickup of one beam type. Accordingly, the centering adjustmentoperation process can be simplified and there is needed only onecentering adjustment mechanism, so that the number of constitutionalelements of the optical pickup apparatus, and the number of processesfor assembling the optical pickup apparatus can be diminished.

In another aspect of the first optical pickup apparatus, the rotatingmechanism rotates the rotor frame after the optical pickups areretracted from the guide rails to the first and second retracting railsas home positions for the optical pickups.

According to this aspect, since the optical pickups are alreadyretracted on the first and second retracting rails when the rotatingmechanism rotates the rotor frame, it is possible to protect flexiblecables etc. of the optical pickups from being twisted or distorted, andthe damage or rupture thereof.

In another aspect of the first optical pickup apparatus, the first andsecond retracting rails are arranged such that the optical pickupsrespectively on the first and second retracting rails are opposed toeach other with the axis as a center point.

According to this aspect, every time the rotating mechanism rotates therotator frame for swapping the first and second retracting rails, thedirection of the optical pickups on one of the first and secondretracting rails after rotation can be speedily made appropriate for thefirst and second guiding rails.

In another aspect of the first optical pickup apparatus, one of theoptical pickups is guided by one of the first and second guiding railsto move along the information record surface of the loaded optical diskso as to record and/or reproduce the information while the other of theoptical pickups is guided to be positioned away from the loaded opticaldisk in standby.

According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent one of the opticalpickups from contacting the loaded optical disk when the other of theoptical pickups is guided along the information record surface so as torecord and/or reproduce the loaded optical disk. Thus, the scratch ofthe loaded optical disk due to the unused optical pickup can beprevented, and the loading and unloading of the optical disk can bespeedily performed.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a secondoptical pickup apparatus for an optical disk recording and/orreproducing apparatus, which records and/or reproduces information on aninformation record surface of an optical disk loaded thereto. The secondoptical pickup apparatus is provided with: a first optical pickup for afirst optical disk of one type; a second optical pickup for a secondoptical disk of another type, the first optical disk having theinformation record surface inwardly wider than the second optical disk;and a first guiding rail arranged substantially parallel to theinformation record surface of the loaded optical disk, for guiding theoptical pickups along the information record surface of the loadedoptical disk in a radial direction thereof, such that the first opticalpickup is positioned on the first guiding rail at an inner side of theloaded optical disk with respect to the second optical pickup on thefirst guiding rail.

According to the second optical pickup apparatus of the present, sincethe first and second optical pickups are guided by a single guiding raili.e. the first guiding rail along the information record surface, thenumber of constitutional elements of the optical pickup apparatus, andthe number of processes for assembling the optical pickup apparatus canbe diminished. Thus, the height of the optical pickup apparatus as wellas the optical disk reproducing apparatus can be decreased and theminiaturization of the apparatus can be promoted. And that, since thefirst optical pickup for the first optical disk, which has theinformation record surface inwardly wider than the second optical disk,is positioned at the inner side with respect to the second opticalpickup, the first optical pickup can move toward the inner end of theinformation record surface of the first optical disk without beingdisturbed by the second optical pickup. Further, when exchanging one ofthe first and second optical pickups to the other in correspondence withthe exchange of the optical disks, it is not necessary to exchange theoptical pickups by a rotating mechanism as in the case of theaforementioned first optical pickup apparatus.

In one aspect of the second optical pickup apparatus, the first opticalpickup is guided to be positioned inwardly away from the informationrecord surface of the loaded optical disk in standby when the secondoptical pickup is guided along the information record surface to recordand/or reproduce the information thereof, and the second optical pickupis guided to be positioned outwardly away from the information recordsurface of the loaded optical disk in standby when the first opticalpickup is guided along the information record surface to record and/orreproduce the information thereof.

According to this aspect, since the first or second optical pickup,which is not used for the recording and/or reproducing operation, is instandby at the position away from the information record surface, it ispossible to prevent one of the first and second optical pickups, whichis not used for the recording and/or reproducing operation, frominterfering the other and also contacting the rotated optical disk.

In another aspect of the second optical pickup apparatus, the secondoptical pickup apparatus is further provided with a U-shaped retractingrail connected to the first guiding rail at one free end thereof, forretracting thereonto at least the second optical pickup from the firstguiding rail through a linkage with the first guiding rail.

According to this aspect, at least second optical pickup can beretracted while the first optical pickup is guided by the first guidingrail, so that it is possible to prevent the second optical pickup frominterfering the first optical pickup and also contacting the rotatedoptical disk.

In another aspect of the second optical pickup apparatus, the secondoptical pickup apparatus is further provided with a second guiding rail,connected to the U-shaped retracting rail at the other free end thereofand arranged substantially parallel to the information record surface ofthe loaded optical disk at an opposite side of the first guiding rail,for guiding at least the second optical pickup, which is transportedthrough the U-shaped retracting rail, along the information recordsurface of the loaded optical disk in a radial direction thereof.

According to this aspect, at least second optical pickup can beretracted and transported from the first guiding rail through theU-shaped guiding rail to the second guiding rail, so that the secondoptical pickup can be moved onto the second guiding rail and can beguided along the information record surface at the opposite side of thefirst guiding rail. Thus, the optical disk of both-side-record type canbe recorded and/or reproduced by use of the second optical pickupapparatus. Further, for recording and/or reproducing the optical disk ofboth-side-record type, a rotating mechanism as in the case of theaforementioned first optical pickup apparatus is not necessary totransport the optical pickup from the first guiding rail to the secondguiding rail.

As described above, an optical pickup apparatus, which can reproducedifferent types of optical disks, can be realized by the presentinvention.

The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be moreclearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect topreferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings briefly described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially broken top view showing a main portion of a diskreproducing apparatus as one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially broken side view when seeing the main portionshown in FIG. 1 from one side;

FIG. 3 is a partially broken side view when seeing the main portionshown in FIG. 1 from a front;

FIG. 4 is a top view showing a swinging mechanism and a rotatingmechanism of the embodiment, schematically;

FIG. 5 is a back view of a rotator frame of the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the rotator frame of the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a turn lever of the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a VIII arrow view in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a section view taken on a line IX—IX in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a back view of a fixture panel of the embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the fixture panel of the embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a front view of a groove cam of the embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a back view of a swinger frame of the embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a right side view of the swinger frame:

FIG. 15 is an explanation view showing a state when seeing operations ofthe swinger frame and the rotator frame from a back side and shows acase when the swinger frame is located at a top dead center;

FIG. 16 is an explanation view showing a state when the swinger frame isswung downward;

FIG. 17 is an explanation view showing a state when the swinger frame ispassed to a bottom dead center;

FIG. 18 is an explanation view showing a state when the rotator framestarts to be rotated;

FIG. 19 is an explanation view showing a state when the rotator frame isgoing to end the rotation;

FIG. 20 is an explanation view showing a state when the rotator framehas ended the rotation;

FIG. 21 is an explanation view showing a state when the swinger framebegins to be swung upward from the bottom dead center;

FIG. 22 is an explanation view showing a state when the swinger frame isswung upward;

FIG. 23 is an explanation view showing a state when the swinger frame isgoing to end the swinging;

FIG. 24 is an explanation view showing a state immediately before theswinger frame ends the swinging;

FIG. 25 is an explanation view showing a state when the swinger frame isreturned to the top dead center; and

FIG. 26A, 26B, and 26C are side views showing another embodiment of adisk reproducing apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention are explained with reference to thedrawings.

A disk reproducing apparatus as one embodiment of the present inventionhas the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and is provided with a mainbody 1 assembled in a form of a box and a disk tray 2 for mounting adisk d1 or d2, which is a record medium, within the body 1. The disktray 2 can be horizontally reciprocated in a front and rear direction(i.e. forward and backward) of the disk reproducing apparatus. Further,a turn table 3 for rotating the disk d1 or d2 is disposed at apredetermined position. Since well known parts are utilized as the disktray 2, the turn table 3, a driving device thereof and the like,detailed explanations thereof are omitted.

The disk tray 2 is adapted so as to selectively mount one of pluraltypes of disks d1 and d2 such as a CD (Compact Disk), a DVD (DigitalVideo Disk), anLD (Laser Disk) and the like. The plural types of opticalpickups 4 and 5 are prepared in correspondence with the various disks d1and d2 as described later, and adapted so as to scan the disk d1 or d2on the disk tray 2 while moving within the disk reproducing apparatus.

In order to select one of the optical pickups 4 and 5 on the basis ofthe type of the disk and to select a scanning path of the pickup so asto scan either one of the front and rear surfaces of the disk d1 or d2to be reproduced, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 15, this disk reproducingapparatus is provided with: first and second moving paths 6 and 7 forrespectively guiding the two types of the optical pickups 4 and 5 whichput the surface of the disk between them and are arranged substantiallyparallel to each other; first and second retracting paths 8 and 9connected respectively to the first and second moving paths 6 and 7; arotator frame 10 for holding the first and second retracting paths 8 and9; a swinger frame 13 which holds the rotator frame 10 through a firstspindle 11 parallel to the first and second retracting paths 8 and 9 andis supported by a fixture panel 14 through a second spindle 12 parallelto the first spindle 11; a swinging mechanism for swinging the swingerframe 13 with the second spindle 12 as a fulcrum; and a rotatingmechanism for rotating the rotator frame 10 while the swinger frame 13is swung to one side by the drive of the swinging mechanism and forswitching the linkage between the first and second retracting paths 8and 9 and the first and second moving paths 6 and 7.

In this disk reproducing apparatus, it is possible to omit the secondspindle 12, the swinger frame 13 and the swinging mechanism, and alsopossible to rotate the rotator frame 10 at a constant position on thefixture panel 14 with the first spindle 11 as a fulcrum.

As shown in FIG. 2. a motor base 40 for fixing a driving motor 42 of theturn table 3 is substantially horizontally arranged within the body 1which is a main frame of this disk reproducing apparatus. A tilt base 41is mounted on the motor base 40. The motor base 40 is adapted so as to.be raised and lowered within the body 1 by an ascending and descendingmechanism (not shown). The disk d1 or d2 on the disk tray 2 is receivedby the turn table 3 in conjunction with this ascending and descendingaction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first and second moving paths 6 and 7 arehorizontally fixed on the tilt base 41 at different levels such that thedisks d1 and d2 on the disk tray 2 are disposed between the first andsecond moving paths 6 and 7 from upper and lower sides. Actually, eachof the first and second moving paths 6 and 7 is a rail made of a roundbar.

The positions of the first and second moving paths 6 and 7 can bechanged in directions orthogonal to the moving paths 6 and 7, by holdingthe tilt base 41 on the motor base 40 through a centering mechanism (notshown). That is, the tilt base 41 is pulled on one side by a spring in adirection orthogonal to the moving paths 6 and 7 on the motor base 40.And, an adjusting cam is supported pivotably with a shaft on the tiltbase 41, and the adjusting cam is in contact with the body 1 so as toresist the tensile force of the spring. Accordingly, it is possible toturn the adjusting cam to slightly move the tilt base 41 with respect tothe motor base 40 to thereby carry out the centering adjustments of theoptical pickups 4 and 5 on the first and second moving paths 6 and 7. Inthis case, for example, assuming that one optical pickup 4 is a one beamtype for reproducing the OD, the DVD and the like and that the otheroptical pickup 5 is a three beam type for reprocucing the LD and thelike it is enough to carry out the centering adjustment for thethree-beam type of the optical pickup 5. The one-beam type does notrequire the centering adjustment, such that it is enough to move theoptical pickup 4 of one-beam type on the first and second moving paths 6and 7 with respect to the centering adjustment is carried out for thethree-beam type.

The two types of the optical pickups 4 and 5 are movably installed onthe first and second moving paths 6 and 7 through carriages (not shown).Optical signals inputted to and outputted from the optical pickups 4 and5 are transmitted through flexible cables (not shown). These flexiblecables extend from the respective optical pickups 4 and 5 toward therear side of this disk reproducing apparatus and leads to terminals onthe rotator frame 10.

The first and second retracting paths 8 and 9 have the configurationssimilar to those of the first and second moving paths 6 and 7 and arefixed and held on the rotator frame 10 at rear edges thereof, as shownin FIGS. 5 and 6. The rotator frame 10 isacircular plate. Top and bottomends thereof are cut away in order to reduce a height dimension of thedisk reproducing apparatus. The first and second retracting paths 9, 8are fixedat the vicinities of respective cut portions 10 a, 10 bthereof. The first spindle 11 protrudes from a center of the rotatorframe 10 to the side opposite to the retracting paths 9, 8. The firstand second retracting paths 8 and 9 are arranged opposite to eachotherwith the firstspindle 11 as a center. For this reason, in a casethat the rotator frame 10 is rotated by every 180 degrees around thefirst spindle 11, the two retracting paths 8 and 9 are accurately linkedto the two moving paths 6 and 7.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the fixture panel 14 fixed on the tilt base 41is disposed at the rear side of the rotator frame 10. The swinger frame13 is disposed at the rear side of the fixture panel 14. The rotatingmechanism and the swinging mechanism are provided between the rotatorframe 10, the fixture panel 14 and the swinger frame 13.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first spindle 11 extending fromthe rotator frame 10 penetrates through a central portion of the fixturepanel 14 toward the rear side. A guide groove 15 in a form of an arch asshown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is disposed at the central portion of thefixture panel 14. The first spindle 11 penetrates through the guidegroove 15. A curvature center of the guide groove 15 is the secondspindle 12. The first spindle 11 penetrating through the guide groove 15is rotatably linked and supported on the swinger frame 13 through abearing 11 a. This enables the first and second retracting paths 8 and 9and the rotator frame 10 to be rotatably held on the swinger frame 13within a vertical plane.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the swinger frame 13 is supported on thefixture panel 14 through the second spindle 12, in a condition swingableupward or downward. The second spindle 12 is disposed at a positionseparated from the rotator frame 10 on the fixture panel 14. As shown inFIGS. 13 and 14, the swinger frame 13 is a plate in a form of asubstantial rectangle, and a bearing 12 a into which the second spindle12 is inserted is disposed on the swinger frame 13, and a plurality ofguide pins 16 are disposed at side edge portions opposite to the bearing12 a. These guide pins 16 are slidably engaged within other guidegrooves 17 of the fixture panel 14 shown in FIG. 10. The curvaturecenters of these other guide grooves 17 are also the second spindles 12.This enables the first and second retracting paths 8 and 9 and therotator frame 10 to be swung within a vertical plane along the fixturepanel 14 while they are held on the swinger frame 13.

The swinging mechanism has a groove cam 18, as shown in FIG. 4, inaddition to the second spindles 12, and has a motor 19 as shown in FIGS.1 and 3. The groove cam 18 is rotatably supported around the bearing 11a supporting the first spindle 11. As shown in FIG. 12 and FIGS. 15 to25, a first cam groove 20 in an endless form is formed on a front of thegroove cam 18. A gear 21 is formed as a gear around an outercircumference of the groove cam 18. In FIGS. 15 to 25, various camgrooves are all represented by solid lines as a matter of conveniencewhen drawing figures.

FIGS. 15 to 25 are back views of the swinger frame and the rotator framein such consecutive states that the swinger frame is located at a topdead center (FIG. 15), the swinger frame is swung downward (FIG. 16),the swinger frame is passed to a bottom dead center (FIG. 17), therotator frame starts to be rotated (FIG. 18), the rotator frame is goingto end the rotation (FIG. 19), the rotator frame has ended the rotation(FIG. 20), the swinger frame begins to be swung upward from the bottomdead center (FIG. 21), the swinger frame is swung upward (FIG. 22). theswinger frame is going to end the swinging (FIG. 23), the swinger framenearly ends the swinging (FIG. 24) and the swinger frame is returned tothe top dead center (FIG. 25). Hereinbelow, each state and operation ofthe swinger frame and the rotator frame will be explained in detail.

A protrusion 22 protruded at the vicinity of the guide groove 15 on thefixture panel 14 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is engaged with the firstcam groove 20. As shown in FIG. 12 and FIGS. 15 to 25, the first camgroove 20 is constituted by a combination of two curved portions 20 aand 20 b for swinging the swinger frame 13 upward and downward and anarch portion 20 c with the first spindle 11 as a center for keeping, fora constant time period, a state in which the swinger frame 13 is swungdownward. The motor 19 is fixed on the fixture panel 14. As shown inFIG. 15, the motor 19 is adapted to transmit a rotational motion to thegroove cam 18 through a belt transmission device composed of a pulley 23and an endless belt 24 and a gear transmission device composed of rowsof various gears 25 a, 25 b and 25 c. The motor 19 can be rotated inboth normal and reverse directions. A switch 26 for carrying out thisswitching action is attached to the swinger frame 13. A protrusion 35for operating a switching lever 26 a of the switch 26 is attached to thegroove cam 18.

Accordingly, when the motor 19 is driven in a state shown in FIG. 15 andthe groove cam 18 starts to be clockwise rotated at a constant anglespeed, the swinger frame 13 is swung downward, with the second spindle12 as a fulcrum, by a relative movement between one curved portion 20 aof the cam groove 20 and the protrusion 22 (FIG. 16), and is passed to abottom dead center thereof (FIG. 17). When, at the bottom dead center,the protrusion 22 is passed into the arch portion 20 c of the first camgroove 20, the swinger frame 13 maintains the downward swung state(FIGS. 18, 19, 20 and 21). After that, when the protrusion 22 is passedinto the other curved portion 20 b, the swinger frame 13 is swung upwardwith the second spindle 12 as a fulcrum (FIGS. 22, 23 and 24), and thenpassed to a top dead center thereof (FIG. 25).

The rotating mechanism is moved in conjunction with the swingingmechanism. In addition to the first spindle 11, the rotating mechanismis provided with a second cam groove 27 formed on the groove cam 18 asshown in FIG. 12, a third cam groove 28 formed on the fixture panel 14as shown in FIG. 10 and a turn lever 29 which penetrates through thethird cam groove 28 and is bridged between the rotator frame 10 and thesecond cam groove 27 as shown in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the turn lever 29 has a lever body in a formof a plate. A fulcrum pin 30 is disposed to stand at a central portionof the turn lever 29. A fitting pin 31 is disposed to stand at one edge,on a side opposite to the fulcrum pin 30. An arch hole 32 is opened atthe other edge with the fulcrum pin 30 as a central point. And, thefulcrum pin 30 is pivotably supported in a bearing hole 33 (refer toFIG. 5) of the rotator frame 10. The fitting pin 31 penetrates throughthe third cam groove 28 of the fixture panel 14 and is engaged with thesecond cam groove 27. A guide pin 34, which is disposed to stand on therotator frame 10 as shown in FIG. 5, is inserted into the arch hole 32.Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, one pair of claw pieces 36 aredisposed in the lever body while putting the fulcrum pin 30 between theclaw pieces 36. Both the claw pieces 36 are engaged with one pair offitting holes 37 of the rotator frame 10 shown in FIG. 5. Thus, thisprevents the turn lever 29 from being detached from the rotator frame10.

As shown in FIG. 12, the second cam groove 27 is constituted by acombination of an inner arch portion 27 b with the first spindle 11 as acentral point, an outer arch portion 27 a with the firstspindle 11 asthe central point similarly to the inner arch portion 27 b and aninclination portion 27 c linking between the arch portions 27 a and 27b.

As shown in FIG. 10, the third cam groove 28 is constituted by acombination of an upper arch portion 28 a with the second spindle 12 asa central point, a lower arch portion 28 b with the second spindle 12 asthe central point similarly to the upper arch portion 28 a and anintermediate arch portion 28 c with a lower end of the guide groove 15linking between the arch portions 28 a, 28 b as a central point.

The first cam groove 20, the second cam groove 27 and the third camgroove 28 are related to each other. One curved portion 20 a, the archportion 20 c and the other curved portion 20 b of the first cam groove20 corresponds to the outer arch portion 27 a, the inclination portion27 c and the inner arch portion 27 b of the second cam groove 27respectively, as well as the upper arch portion 28 a, the intermediatearch portion 28 c and the lower arch portion 28 b of the third camgroove 28 respectively.

Accordingly, the motor 19 is driven in the state shown in FIG. 15, andthe groove cam 18 starts to be clockwise rotated at the constant anglespeed. While the swinger frame 13 is rotated from the top dead centerthereof to the bottom dead center as mentioned above (FIGS. 15, 16 and17), the outer arch portion 27 a of the second cam groove 27 is linkedto the upper arch portion 28 a of the third cam groove 28 through thefitting pin 31. As a result, the rotator frame 10 with the swinger frame13 is inclined downward in a substantially static state for the swingerframe 13. In the state in FIG. 15. the two retracting paths 8 and 9 faceon the two moving paths 6 and 7, respectively, so that the opticalpickups 4 and 5 can be freely moved between the moving paths 6 and 7 andthe retracting paths 8 and 9, respectively. The swinger frame 13 istransiently stopped at the bottom dead center thereof as mentioned above(FIGS. 18, 19 and 20). For that period, the inclination portion 27 c ofthe second cam groove 27 is linked to the intermediate arch portion 28 cof the third cam groove 28 through the fitting pin 31. As a result, therotator frame 10 is rotated by 180 degrees around the first spindle 11,and then stopped. When the groove cam 18 is further rotated, the swingerframe 13 is swung up ward as mentioned above (FIGS. 21, 22, 23, 24 and25). At that time, the inner arch portion 27 b of the second cam groove27 is linked to the lower arch portion 28 b of the third cam groove 28through the fitting pin 31. As a result, the rotator frame 10 with theswinger frame 13 is returned upward in a substantially static state withrespect to the swinger frame 13. In the state in FIG. 25, the tworetracting paths 8 and 9 are switched with respect to the two movingpaths 6 and 7. Then, the optical pickups 4 and 5, which are differentfrom the previous case, are moved on the respective moving paths 6 and7.

Although the groove cam 18 is rotated by 360 degrees in the states fromFIG. 15 to FIG. 25, at that time a protrusion 35 on the groove cam 18 asshown in FIG. 12 pushes the switching lever 26 a of the switch 26downward. This causes the motor 19 to be reversely rotated when it isdriven at a next time. That is, the switch is switched at the same timewhen it becomes the state in FIG. 25. In a case of switching the runningpaths of the optical pickups 4 and 5, the motor 19 is reversely rotated,and thereby the retracting paths 8 and 9 are returned from the state inFIG. 25 to that in FIG. 15. A pin, which is a stopper 38 of the rotatorframe 10, is fixed on the fixture panel 14 as shown in FIG. 10, andnotches 39 fitted to the stopper 38 are formed on the rotator frame 10as shown in 5, such that the rotator frame 10 can be kept in the statein FIG. 15 or that in FIG. 25.

In this disk reproducing apparatus, preferably, in the two opticalpickups 4 and 5, the first and second retracting paths 8 and 9 arerespectively set as home positions, and after both the optical pickups 4and 5 are returned to these home positions, the swinging mechanism andthe rotating mechanism are driven. That is, when the swinging mechanismand the rotating mechanism are operated as mentioned above, the twooptical pickups 4 and 5 are retracted in advance on the first and secondretracting paths 8 and 9. As a result, it is possible to protect theflexible cables of the optical pickups 4 and 5 from being twisted ordistorted.

The operation of the disk reproducing apparatus is explained.

For example, in a case of reproducing a CD as the disk d1, the disk tray2 in the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is pull forward by the operationof the driving mechanism (not shown). After the CD (d1) is mounted onthe disk tray 2, it is returned to the original position. Next, themotor base 40 is lifted up by the drive of the ascending and descendingmechanism (not shown). The turn table 3 on the motor base 40 holds theCD (d1) and rotates the CD (d1) at a constant speed. The drivingmechanism (not shown) causes the optical pickup 4 to run along the lowermoving path 6 in the radial direction of the CD. This enables the recordinformation of the CD (d1) to be reproduced. When the reproduction isended, the optical pickup 4 is retracted from the moving path 6 onto theretracting path 8 by control of a controlling device (not shown) of thedisk reproducing apparatus.

In a case of reproducing an LD as the disk d2 instead of the CD (d1),the LD (d2) is placed into the disk reproducing apparatus by pulling outthe disk tray 2 and replacing the CD (d1) with the LD (d2). Then, themotor 19 is driven. The swinger frame 13 is lowered downward. Therotator frame 10 is rotated. Phases of the retracting paths 8 and 9 arechanged by 180 degrees. Accordingly, the places are switched. And, whenthe swinger frame 13 is returned upward, the retracting paths 8 and 9are linked to the moving paths 6 and 7 in the state switched from theprevious combination. This causes the optical pickup 5 for the LD tomove on the lower moving path 6 and scan the LD (d2). In a case ofending the reproduction on a front surface of the LD (d2) and thenreproducing a rear surface thereof, the switching action between theretracting paths 8 and 9 and the moving paths 6 and 7 are carried outsimilarly to the above mentioned case. This causes the optical pickup 5for the LD to move on the upper moving path 7 and scan the rear surfaceof the LD (d2).

Although the pickup 4 is used at a time of reproducing the DVD, in thiscase, the scanning action of the DVD is also carried out similarly tothe above mentioned case.

In the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 26A and 26B, it is possibleto implement such a configuration that two optical pickups 4 and 5 shareone moving path 6 at the same time. That is, the moving path 6 shared bythe two types of the optical pickups 4 and 5 is arranged on a recordsurface of a disk, substantially parallel to each other. The opticalpickup 4 for scanning the disk d1, on which a record surface extends toan inner circumference side, is disposed at the side near to the diskcenter on the moving path 6, and the other optical pickup 5 is disposedon the opposite side (i.e. far from the disk center). So, theconfiguration described below is desired. That is, when one opticalpickup 4 for scanning the disk d1 in which the record surface extends tothe inner circumference side reproduces the disk d1, the other opticalpickup 5 is waited at a place which is separated from the record surfaceof the disk d1 under the reproduction to the outer circumference side.When the other optical pickup 5 reproduces the disk d2 whose type isdifferent from that of the disk d1, one optical pickup 4 is waited at aplace which is separated from the record surface of the disk d2 underthe reproduction to the inner circumference side.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 26A, in a case of reproducing a CD or aDVD (d1), the optical pickup 4 is moved on the moving path 6, andreciprocated within a stroke al corresponding to a record area of the CDor the DVD (d1). In this case, in order not to obstruct this movement ofthe optical pickup 4, the other optical pickup 5 is escaped and stoppedat a place separated from the record area of the CD or the DVD (d1).Further, as shown in FIG. 26B, in a case of reproducing an LD (d2), theother optical pickup 5 is moved on the moving path 6 and reciprocatedwithin a stroke a2 corresponding to a record area of the LD (d2). Inthis case, one optical pickup 4 is escaped and stopped at a placeseparated from the record area of the LD (d2), in order not to obstructthe movement of the other optical pickup 5.

Generally, the LD (d2) has the record areas on both surfaces thereof.Then, in order to reproduce a rear surface without turning over the LD(d2) after one surface is reproduced by the optical pickup 5, as shownin FIG. 26C, it is allowable that the moving paths 6 and 7 parallel toeach other are arranged so as to put the disk surface between them andthe moving path 6 is linked to the moving path 7 through a U turn rail43, Thanks to the above mentioned configuration, in a case of ending thereproduction of one surface of the disk and then reproducing the othersurface, it is enough that the optical pickup 5 is transferred from themoving path 6 through the U turn rail 43 to the moving path 7 andreciprocated within the stroke a2 corresponding to the record area ofthe LD, on the moving path 7. Since the mechanism of transferring theoptical pickup 5 on the moving paths 6 and 7 and the U turn rail 43 iswell known, detailed explanations thereof are omitted.

Although the reproducing operation of the optical disk is explained inthe above mentioned embodiments, it is natural that the presentinvention can be similarly applied to the recording operation of theoptical disk.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentinvention embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An optical pickup apparatus for an optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus, which records and/or reproduces information on an information record surface of an optical disk loaded thereto, said optical pickup apparatus comprising: at least two types of optical pickups for at least two types of optical disks respectively; first and second guiding rails arranged substantially parallel to each other such that the information record surface of said loaded optical disk is disposed between said first and second guiding rails, for respectively guiding said optical pickups along the information record surface of said loaded optical disk in a radial direction of said loaded optical disk; first and second retracting rails respectively alignable with said first and second guiding rails, for independently retracting thereonto said optical pickups from said first and second guiding rails through linkages with said first and second guiding rails respectively; a rotator frame for holding said first and second retracting rails; and a rotating mechanism for rotating said rotator frame around an axis parallel to said first and second retracting rails and for swapping said first and second retracting rails to each other.
 2. An optical pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein both of said optical pickups are commonly guided by at least one of said first and second guiding rails.
 3. An optical pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotating mechanism rotates said rotator frame after said optical pickups are retracted from said guiding rails to said first and second retracting rails as home positions for said optical pickups.
 4. An optical pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second retracting rails are arranged such that said optical pickups respectively on said first and second retracting rails are opposed to each other with said axis as a center point.
 5. An optical pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of said optical pickups is guided by one of said first and second guiding rails to move along the information record surface of said loaded optical disk so as to record and/or reproduce the information while the other of said optical pickups is guided to be positioned away from the loaded optical disk in standby. 